Nottingham Forest are lining up Paul Hart to return to the City Ground as
technical director as part of a two-tier managerial structure to fill the
void left by Steve McClaren.

Following discussions on Monday night, the Forest hierarchy have drawn up a four-man shortlist to replace McClaren, who resigned on Sunday, made up of MK Dons’ Karl Robinson, former Barnsley manager Mark Robins, Exeter City’s Paul Tisdale and Aston Villa’s widely-respected coach Kevin MacDonald.

The intention is to team one of them with former manager Hart, who is at Charlton Athletic’s academy, with the 58 year-old taking on some first-team coaching duties as well as reassuming responsibility for the Forest academy he presided over with such distinction at the turn of the Millennium.

It is thought Hart would be willing to come back if negotiations prove successful and, still popular at the City Ground, his return would go some way to placating supporters disenchanted by the current plight.

Hart famously brought the likes of Michael Dawson and Jermaine Jenas through the Forest ranks before being promoted to manager, steering the club to the Championship play-offs in 2003 before his sacking less than a year later.

Forest, who sit fourth from bottom of the Championship following Sunday’s defeat to Birmingham City, are eager to make an appointment in the next 10 days ahead of their next match, against Coventry City on Oct 15, and their targets confirm a sharp shift in strategy from their previous appointment of ex-England manager McClaren.

MacDonald, in particular, is a surprise contender for the managerial post. The Scot, 50, is highly thought of at Villa having guided the reserves to three successive titles as well as nurturing talents including England trio Gary Cahill, Gareth Barry and Gabriel Agbonlahor during his nine-year spell.

He was a contender for the Villa manager’s post last year, having stepped in as caretaker following the departure of Martin O’Neill - incidentally the No 1 choice of supporters on a local radio poll - but Gerard Houllier was handed the job and MacDonald stepped back down to the reserves.

The former Republic of Ireland assistant manager has, however, since been elevated back to the first team by Alex McLeish.

Odds on McClaren’s predecessor Billy Davies making a sensational return tumbled after his camp indicated to local press he would be willing to make a return, although the prospect of that becoming a reality appears extremely remote given his previously rocky relationship with the board.

McClaren said his farewells to the Forest squad on Monday and captain Luke Chambers has admitted the players let him down.

Chambers said: “I have spoken to a few of the lads about this and we feel that we have let the gaffer down a little bit because we have not performed to the standards we have set ourselves in the last few years.

"It should have been a positive appointment, it should have all worked out. But sometimes in football that is not the case.”